Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch
Paul | |
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Independence | A.D. 519[3] |
Recognition | Orthodox |
Branched from | Church of Antioch |
Separations | Maronite Church - 685 Georgian Orthodox Church - 1010[4] Melkite Catholic Patriarchate of Antioch - 1724 |
Members | Approx. 4.3 million (2012)[5] |
Official website | www.antiochpatriarchate.org |
Part of a series on the |
Eastern Orthodox Church |
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Overview |
The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch (
Its adherents, known as
Background
The seat of the patriarchate was formerly Antioch, in what is now Turkey. However, in the 14th century, it was moved to Damascus, modern-day Syria. Its traditional territory includes Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Kuwait, the Arab countries of the Persian Gulf, and also parts of Turkey. Its territory formerly included the Church of Cyprus until the latter became autocephalous in 431. Both the Orthodox Churches of Antioch and Cyprus are members of the Middle East Council of Churches.
Its
The head of the Orthodox Church of Antioch is called
The Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch is one of several churches that lay claim to be the canonical incumbent of the ancient see of Antioch. The Syriac Orthodox Church makes the same claim, as do the Syriac Catholic Church, the Maronite Church, and the Melkite Greek Catholic Church; the latter three are Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See and mutually recognize each other as holding authentic patriarchates, being part of the same Catholic communion. Their fellow Catholic particular church, the Latin Church, also appointed titular patriarchs for many centuries, until the office was left vacant in 1953 and abolished in 1964 with all claims renounced.
History and cultural legacy
Pauline Greco-Semitic roots
According to Luke the Evangelist- himself a Greco-Syrian member of that community:
The disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.
St Peter and St
Some historians believe that a sizable proportion of the
As Jewish Christianity originated at Jerusalem, so Gentile Christianity started at Antioch, then the leading center of the Hellenistic East, with Peter and Paul as its apostles. From Antioch it spread to the various cities and provinces of Syria, among the Hellenistic Syrians as well as among the Hellenistic Jews who, as a result of the great rebellions against the Romans in A.D. 70 and 130, were driven out from Jerusalem and Palestine into Syria.[13]
The 'Hebrews' were Jewish Christians who spoke almost exclusively Aramaic, and the 'Hellenists' were also Jewish Christians whose mother tongue was Greek. They were Greek-speaking Jews of the Diaspora, who returned to settle in Jerusalem. To identify them, Luke uses the term Hellenistai. When he had in mind Greeks, gentiles, non-Jews who spoke Greek and lived according to the Greek fashion, then he used the word Hellenes (Acts 21.28). As the very context of Acts 6 makes clear, the Hellenistai are not Hellenes.[14]
"There is neither Jew nor Greek"
These ethno-cultural and social tensions were eventually surmounted by the emergence of a new, typically Antiochian Greek doctrine (doxa) spearheaded by Paul (himself a Hellenized
Paul's efforts were probably facilitated by the arrival of a fourth wave of Greek-speaking newcomers to Cilicia/Southern Turkey and Northwestern Syria:
[North African] Cyrenian Jews were of sufficient importance in those days to have their name associated with a synagogue at Jerusalem (Acts 6:9). And when the persecution arose about Stephen [a Hellenized Syrian-Cilician Jew, and one of the first known converts to Christianity], some of these Jews of Cyrene who had been converted at Jerusalem, were scattered abroad and came with others to Antioch [...] and one of them, Lucius, became a prophet in the early church there [the Greek-speaking 'Orthodox' Church of Antioch].[15]
These subtle, progressive socio-cultural shifts are somehow summarized succinctly in Chapter 3 of the Epistle to the Galatians:
There is neither Jew nor Greek: there is neither slave nor free: there is neither male nor female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:28).[16]
Dual self-designation: "Melkites" and "Eastern Romans"
The unique combination of
The mixture of Roman, Greek, and Jewish elements admirably adapted Antioch for the great part it played in the early history of Christianity. The city was the cradle of the church.[17]
Some of the typically Antiochian ancient liturgical traditions of the community rooted in
But members of the community in Southern Turkey, Syria and Lebanon still call themselves Rūm (روم) which means "Eastern Romans" or "Asian Greeks" in Arabic. In that particular context, the term "Rūm" is used in preference to "Yūnāniyyūn" (يونانيون) which means "European Greeks" or "Ionians" in Biblical Hebrew (borrowed from Old Persian Yavan = Greece) and Classical Arabic. Members of the community also call themselves 'Melkites', which literally means "monarchists" or "supporters of the emperor" in Semitic languages - a reference to their past allegiance to Greco-Macedonian, Roman and Byzantine imperial rule. But, in the modern era, the term tends to be more commonly used by followers of the Greek Catholic Church of Antioch and Alexandria and Jerusalem.
Interaction with other non-Muslim ethnocultural minorities
Following the fall of the Turkish
This often led to interfaith conflicts with the
Abraham Dimitri Rihbany
In the early 20th century (notably during
At a time when most of the Arab world area was ruled by the Ottoman Empire, France and Britain, Rihbany called for US military intervention in the Holy Land to fend off Ottoman Pan-Islamism, French colonialism, Soviet Communism and radical Zionist enterprises- all viewed as potentially detrimental to Christian minorities.
Administration and structure
The administration and structure of the Antiochian See are governed by statutes.
The Patriarch
The Patriarch is elected by the Holy Synod from amongst the metropolitans who compose it. The Patriarch presides the Holy Synod and executes its decisions. He also acts as metropolitan of the Archdiocese of Antioch and Damascus.
The current Patriarch,
Archdioceses and metropolitans
Source:[20]
There are at present 22 archdioceses, each headed by a metropolitan.[21]
Western Asia
- Archdiocese of Antioch and Damascus: Patriarchal archdiocese
- Archdiocese of
- Archdiocese of Alexandretta: Ephreim Maalouli (2021–present)[23]
- Archdiocese of Beirut and Exarchate of Phœnicia: Elias Audi (1980–present)[24]
- Archdiocese of Baghdad, Kuwait and Dependencies: Ghattas Hazim (2014–present)[25][26]
- Archdiocese of Saba Esber (1999–present)[27]
- Archdiocese of Byblos and Batroun: Siluan Muci (2018–present)[28]
- Archdiocese of Hama (Epiphania) and Exarchate of North Syria: Nicholas Baalbaki (2017–present)[29]
- Archdiocese of Homs (Emesa): George Abu Zakhem (1999–present)[30]
- Archdiocese of Latakia (Laodicea ad Mare) and Exarchate of Theodorias: Athanasius Fahd (2018–present)[31]
- Archdiocese of Tripoli and Koura: Ephraim Kyriakos (2009–present)[32]
- Archdiocese of Tyre and Sidon: Elias Kfoury (1995–present)[33]
- Archdiocese of
Asia and Oceania
- Archdiocese of Australia, New Zealand and the Philippines: Basilios Qoudsiah (2017–present)
Europe
- Archdiocese of the British Isles and Ireland: Silouan Oner (2015–present)
- Archdiocese of France, Western and Southern Europe: Ignatius Alhoushi (2013–present)
- Archdiocese of Germany and Central Europe: Isaac Barakat (2013–present)
The Americas
- Saba (Esber)(2023–present)
- Diocese of Mid-Atlantic: Thomas Joseph (2004–present)
- Diocese of Eagle River and the Northwest: vacant
- Diocese of Los Angeles and the West: vacant[35]
- Diocese of New York and Washington, D.C.: Metropolitical diocese
- Diocese of Miami and the Southeast: Nicholas Ozone (2017–present)[36]
- Diocese of Ottawa, Eastern Canada and Upstate New York: Alexander Mufarrij (2004–present)
- Diocese of Toledo and the Mid-West: Anthony Michaels (2011–present)
- Diocese of Wichita and Mid-America: vacant
- Diocese of Worcester and New England: John Abdallah (2011–present)
- Diocese of
- Archdiocese of Buenos Aires and All Argentina: Jacob Khoury (elected 2018)[37]
- Archdiocese of Mexico, Venezuela, Central America and the Caribbean: Ignatius Samaan (2017–present)
- Archdiocese of Santiago and All Chile: Sergios Abad (1996–present), Bishop of Salamias and Patriarchal Auxiliary for Chile (1988–1996)
- Archdiocese of São Paulo and All Brazil: Damaskinos Mansour (1997–present)[38]
Titular dioceses and bishops
Source:[39]
- Diocese of Shahba: Niphon Saykali (1988–), elevated to archbishop in 2009 and elevated to metropolitan in 2014, Representative of the Patriarch of Antioch and All the East at the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia
- Diocese of Darayya: Moussa Khoury (1995–), Patriarchal Assistant – Damascus
- Diocese of Saidnaya: Luka Khoury (1999–), Patriarchal Assistant – Damascus
- Diocese of Banias: Demetrios Charbak (2011–), Auxiliary Bishop in Safita, Archdiocese of Akkar
- Diocese of Arthoussa: Elias Toumeh (2011–), Auxiliary Bishop in Marmarita, Archdiocese of Akkar
- Diocese of Zabadani: Constantine Kayal (2011–), Abbot of St Elias – Shwayya Patriarchal Monastery
- Diocese of Palmyra: Youhanna Haikal (2011–), Auxiliary Bishop in the Archdiocese of Germany and Central Europe
- Diocese of Edessa: Romanos Daoud (2011–), Auxiliary Bishop in the Archdiocese of São Paulo and Brazil
- Diocese of the Emirates: Gregorios Khoury-Abdallah (2014-), Assistant Bishop to the Patriarch
- Diocese of Erzurum: Qays Sadek (2014-), Assistant Bishop to the Patriarch
- Diocese of Resafa: Youhanna Batash (2017-)
- Diocese of Apamea: Theodore Ghandour (2017-)
- Diocese of Diyarbakır: Paul Yazigi (2021-)[23]
Retired bishops
- Archdiocese of Byblos and Batroun: Georges Khodr (1970-2018)
- Diocese of Demetrios Khoury(1995–2003)
- Diocese of Yabroud: Athanasius Saliba (1979–)
Daughter churches
- Orthodox
- in Council of Chalcedon.
- Church of Cyprus: Granted autocephaly by the Church of Antioch in A.D. 431.
- Church of Jerusalem: Originally Bishopric of Cæsarea, gained dignity of Patriarchate in A.D. 451 in Council of Chalcedonwith territory carved from Patriarchate of Antioch.
- Church of Georgia: Granted autocephaly by the Church of Antioch in A.D. 486.
- Church of Imereti and Abkhazia: Granted autocephaly by the Church of Antioch in the 1470s, but suppressed by the Russian Empire in 1814 and continued to be a dependency of the Church of Moscow and all Russia until 1917 when it was reunited with Church of Georgia.
- Oriental Orthodox
- Syriac Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and all the East: Formed in 518 when Severus of Antioch was deposed by Emperor Justin I, and Severus and his followers went into exiled.
- Catholic
- Maronite Patriarchate of Antioch and all the East: Founded by Maron in the 5th century and survived the later Muslim invasions, reaffirming communion with Rome in the 12th century.
- Melkite Catholic Patriarchate of Antioch: Formed in 1724 by Cyril VI Tanas, who brought the Antiochian Orthodox community into communion with Rome.
- Syriac Catholic Patriarchate of Antioch: Formed in 1662 when Andrew Akijan was elected as Syrian Patriarch and he entered in communion with the Catholic Church in that same year.
See also
- Eastern Orthodoxy in Syria
- Antiochian Greeks
- Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of North America
- Early Christianity
- Eastern Orthodox Church
- Greek Orthodox Church
- Hellenistic Judaism
- List of Greek Orthodox Patriarchs of Antioch– 518 to present day
- List of Orthodox Churches
- List of Patriarchs of Antioch– to 518
- Eastern Orthodoxy in Lebanon
- Eastern Orthodoxy in Turkey
- Pentarchy
- Saint John of Damascus
- Saint Joseph of Damascus
- Saint Raphael of Brooklyn
- List of Greek Orthodox Antiochian Churches in Europe
References
- ISBN 9781463238933.
The main center of Aramaic-speaking Melkites was Palestine. During the 5th-6th centuries, they were engaged in literary, mainly translation work in the local Western Aramaic dialect, known as "Palestinian Christian Aramaic", using a script closely resembling the cursive Estrangela of Osrhoene. Palestinian Melkites were mostly Jewish converts to Christianity, who had a long tradition of using Palestinian Aramaic dialects as literary languages. Closely associated with the Palestinian Melkites were the Melkites of Transjordan, who also used Palestinian Christian Aramaic. Another community of Aramaic-speaking Melkites existed in the vicinity of Antioch and parts of Syria. These Melkites used Classical Syriac as a written language, the common literary language of the overwhelming majority of Christian Arameans.
- ^ All the metropolitans are now required to be proficient in Arabic per the Church's statutes.
- ^ Hore, Alexander Hugh (1899). Eighteen Centuries of the Orthodox Greek Church. James Parker. pp. 281–282.
- ^ Ioseliani, P. (1866). A Short History of the Georgian Church. Saunders, Otley and Company.
- ^ Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East Archived 30 May 2019 at the Wayback Machine at World Council of Churches
- ^ Wehr, Hans. Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic (4th ed.). p. 428.
- ^ a b "Fragmented in space: the oral history narrative: of an Arab Christian from Antioch, Turkey" (PDF).
- ISBN 9780748686131.
- ^ Eastern Orthodox Churches Archived 29 March 2019 at the Wayback Machine at World Council of Churches
- ^ Bailey, Betty Jane; Bailey, J. Martin. Who Are the Christians in the Middle East? (1st ed.). Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. p. 63.
- ^ PR Ackroyd: The Cambridge History of the Bible: Volume 1, From the Beginnings to Jerome, CUP 1963
- ^ Abou Ackl, Rand. "The Construction of the Architectural Background in Melkite Annunciation Icons." Chronos 38 (2018): 147-170
- ^ " History of Christianity in Syria ", Catholic Encyclopedia
- ^ " Conflict and Diversity in the Earliest Christian Community" Archived 2013-05-10 at the Wayback Machine, Fr. V. Kesich, O.C.A.
- ^ " Epistle to the Cyrene", International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
- ^ "Epistle to the Galatians" Archived 2020-12-30 at the Wayback Machine, New Testament
- ^ "Antioch," Encyclopaedia Biblica, Vol. I, p. 186 (p. 125 of 612 in online .pdf file. Warning: Takes several minutes to download).
- ^ Geschichtskonstrukt und Konfession im Libanon, Wolf-Hagen von Angern, Logos Verlag Berlin GmbH, 2010
- ^ "Election de SE Monseigneur Jean Patriarche d'Antioche et de tout l'Orient". 17 December 2012.
- ^ "Archdioceses - Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East". Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East. Retrieved 2022-02-06.
- ^ "بطريركية انطاكية للروم الأرثوذكس 2021 Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch". Retrieved 2022-03-07.
- ^ "أبرشية عكار وتوابعها للروم الأرثوذكس | موقع ابرشية عكار للروم الارثوذكس" (in Arabic). Retrieved 2021-10-18.
- ^ a b "Bishop Ephreim Maalouli: Metropolitan of Aleppo, Alexandretta and their Dependencies". Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East. 2021-10-07. Archived from the original on 2021-10-08. Retrieved 2022-02-06.
- ^ "Welcome to the website of the Orthodox Archdiocese of Beirut". www.quartos.org.lb. Retrieved 2021-10-18.
- ^ "GoCarch – Baghdad, Kuwait and Dependencies". Retrieved 2021-10-18.
- ^ "Baghdad, Kuwait and Dependencies - Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East". Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East. Archived from the original on 2021-04-18. Retrieved 2022-02-06.
- ^ "الرئيسية - أبرشية بصرى حوران وجبل العرب و الجولان للروم الأرثوذكس". www.orthodoxhauran.com. Archived from the original on 2021-09-11. Retrieved 2021-10-18.
- ^ "Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of Mount Lebanon". Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of Mount Lebanon. Retrieved 2021-10-18.
- ^ "Hama and Dependencies - Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East". Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East. Archived from the original on 2021-04-18. Retrieved 2022-02-06.
- ^ "Homs and Dependencies - Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East". Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East. Archived from the original on 2021-04-18. Retrieved 2022-02-06.
- ^ "Lattakia and Dependencies - Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East". Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East. Archived from the original on 2021-09-11. Retrieved 2022-02-06.
- ^ "الرئيسيّة". archtripoli.org. Retrieved 2021-10-18.
- ^ "Tyre, Sidon and Dependencies - Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East". Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East. Archived from the original on 2021-09-15. Retrieved 2022-02-06.
- ^ "الموقع الإلكتروني لأبرشيّة زحلة وبعلبك وتوابعهما للروم الأرثوذكس – ArchZahle". Retrieved 2021-10-18.
- ^ "Home". www.antiochianladiocese.org. Retrieved 2021-10-18.
- ^ "Antiochian Diocese of Miami and the Southeast – Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of America". domse.org. Retrieved 2021-10-18.
- ^ "Español". 2020-07-04. Archived from the original on 4 July 2020. Retrieved 2022-03-07.
- ^ "Igreja Ortodoxa Antioquina". arquidiocese. Retrieved 2022-03-07.
- ^ "Auxiliary Bishops - Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East". Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East. Retrieved 2022-02-06.
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- Walbiner, Carsten (2003). "The Split of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch (1724) and the Emergence of a New Identity in Bilâd al-Shâm as Reflected by some Melkite Historians of the 18th and Early 20th Centuries". Chronos: Revue d'Histoire de l'Université de Balamand. 7: 9–36.
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External links
- Official website
- "Christian Church to be Filled by a Damascus Preacher" (New York Times, September 15, 1895)